Marathon Man
The Marathon Man body of work is a project consisting of modestly scaled intaglio prints (mezzotints and etchings), as well as relief prints created for installations that are adhered directly onto the wall of British marathon/long distance runner Ben Moreau. Different visual strategies were utilized for these pieces as I explored representation through collage to exploit different facets of human locomotion and the physical conditioning required in marathon running. The work created examined the hard work, discipline, and labor associated with long distance running mirrored by the discipline, and technical knowledge and skill associated with mezzotints and large-scale installation-based printmaking. Parallels exist between the solitude of distance running and a singular individual studio practice. Both practices require focus and dedication allowing for moments of personal reflection and can function as an exploration into the human condition. Pattern and repetition are explored as visual metaphors recalling the physical act of running: step-by-step, mile after mile. The work is a fun play on identity, as we are both “linked” by the same name, and the construction and conception of self.
